§ 10. Mr. GINNELLasked the Chief Secretary to the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland whether he is aware that widow Mary Muldoon has made a fresh claim for an old age pension, that the Delvin sub-committee has again declared her entitled to 5s. a week, and that the same pension officer has again reported against this without any fresh inspection; and, having regard to the consent he was understood to give to a different and competent inspection of the alleged means, whether the Local Government Board will withhold its decision until it has obtained a report of such inspection?
§ The CHIEF SECRETARY for IRELAND (Mr. Birrell)No further appeal has been received by the Local Government Board in this case since the previous claim was disallowed. If a further claim is received on appeal it will be open to the Board to consider whether a local investigation will be necessary before the appeal is determined.
§ 35. Mr. O'DONNELLasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland whether Mr. Timothy Teahan, of Illauncaum, Castlegregory, 2192 county Kerry, is to be deprived of his pension because his age cannot be found in the local register or in the Census records; and whether, in such cases, where the applicant is clearly over 70 and can get several neighbours to testify to that fact, he is to be for ever deprived of the pension because he cannot supply documentary evidence of age?
§ Mr. BIRRELLTimothy Teahan's claim for an old age pension was disallowed by the Local Government Board on appeal, on the ground that he was unable to produce satisfactory evidence of age. The only evidence of age which he was able to produce was a document signed by some of his neighbours, containing an expression of opinion on their part that he was over seventy years of age; but, in the absence of any other proof of age, this uncorroborated expression of opinion could not be accepted as sufficient evidence by the Board. The onus lies on the claimant to furnish satisfactory proof of age.
§ Mr. O'DONNELLIn such cases where it is absolutely impossible for men to produce documentary evidence of age, does that mean that they must lose the pension?
§ Mr. BIRRELLNo, Sir. I have never found cases of that kind, but there are no doubt cases very near the line, and in the absence of satisfactory evidence, I dare say injustice may be done sometimes.
§ Mr. O'DONNELLWill the right hon. Gentleman indicate what means are to be adopted by men of this class to prove that they are of age?
§ Mr. BIRRELLThe hon. Gentleman must surely recognise that people cannot be put upon the pension list simply because they say they are eligible, and some evidence is required.
§ 36. Mr. O'DONNELLasked the Chief Secretary for Ireland on what grounds the Local Government Board for Ireland disallowed the pension granted to Mrs. Mary O'Connor, of Teervrin, Castlegregory subcommittee, county Kerry; what evidence had they before them before they came to their decision; who supplied it; whether the local pension officer recommended that she should have a pension of 3s. per week; and whether it is because her son, on whom she is wholly dependent for her maintenance, is about to be evicted that she is deprived of a pension!
§ Mr. BIRRELLMary O'Connor's claim for an old age pension was disallowed by the Local Government Board on the grounds that her means exceeded the statutory limit. In determining her case, the Board had before them the particulars as to her circumstances supplied by the claimant and the pension officer, from which it would appear that she resides and is maintained on a well-tilled farm of seventy-five acres, carrying upwards of twenty head of cattle, in addition to other stock. It is a fact that the pension officer recommended a pension of 3s. a week, but, in. the opinion of the Board, the value of the benefits and privilege's enjoyed by her was worth more than £31 10s. a year. It has been represented to the Board that the claimant's son was in financial difficulties, and it is open to the claimant, in the event of any change in her circumstances, to make a fresh claim for pension.
§ Mr. O'DONNELLDo I understand that the Local Government Board, in giving their decision on this case, had presented to them the statement that £20 had been given, because that is absolutely untrue?
§ Mr. BIRRELLI will look into the matter.